Letters 152–160 (Letters)

Theodoret of Cyrus

Letters 152–160

Theodoret of Cyrus · Letters · ca. 423-466 · Cyrrhus · 7 passages

Greek text: PG 83.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

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Chapter 152

152PG 83

σιλέα, δι᾽ ἧς ἐμήνυσων τὰ παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς «ραχθέντα, καὶ τὴν αἰτίων τοῦ βράδους τῆς ἀφἕξεως τοῦ ᾿Αγτιοχείας ἐπισκόπου. Τοῖς εὐσεθέσιν ὑμῶν κελευσθέντες γράμμασι, χατελάδομεν τὴν Ἐφεσίων μητρόπολιν, καὶ εὔρυμεν πάσης συγχύσεως καὶ ἐμφυλίου πολέμον γέμοντα τὰ ἐκκλησιαστικὰ πράγματα, Κυρίλλον τοῦ σάντων, καὶ μήτε τῆς ἁγίας Πεντηκοστῆς τὴν παννὰς ἣ τὰς ἑωθινὰς λειτουργίας " πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ τὰς ἁγίας ἐκκλησίας, καὶ τὰ ἅγια μαρτύρια ἀπὸοχλεισάντων, καθ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς δὲ σὺν τοῖς ἀπατηθεῖσιν ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν συνεδρευσάντων, καὶ μυρία παράνομα ἐργασαμένων, καὶ τούς τε τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων κανόνᾶς, τά τε ὑμέτερα πατησάντων θεσπίσματα’ καὶ τοῦ παρὰ τῆς ὑμετέρας φιλοχρίστου κορυφῆς ἀποστα… ἀγράφως, ἀναμεῖναι τοὺς πανταχόθεν ἀφικνουμένους ἁγιωτάτονς ἐπισκόπους, καὶ τότε κοινῇ τὸ συνέδριον ποιῆσαι κατὰ τὰ γράμματα τῆς ὑμετέρας εὐσεδείας" καὶ αὐτοῦ δὲ Κυρίλλου τοῦ ᾿Αλεξανδρέως λαντός μοι τῷ τῆς ᾿Αντιοχέων, πρὸ δύο ἡμερῶν τοῦ Ὑενομένου ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν συνεδρίου, ὡς ἢ σύνοδος πᾶσα ἀναμένει μου τὴν παρουσίαν. Διὸ ἀμφοτέρους τοὺς προειρημένους χαθείλομεν, Κύριλλον καὶ Μέμνονα, καὶ πάσης ἐχκλησιαστιχῆῇς λειτουργίας ἀλλοτρέους πεποιήκαμεν" τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς, τοὺς ταύτης τῆς παρανομίας αὑτοῖς χοινωνήσαντας, ἀκοινωνήτους πεποιήκαμεν, ἕως ἂν τὰ χελιναρίου καὶ Εὐνομίου καὶ ᾿Αρείου κακοδοξίας γέτῆς ὑμετέρας εὐσεδείας γράμμα κοινῇ σὺν ἡμῖν συνεδρεύσαντες, ἡσύχως καὶ ἀχριδῶς τά τε ζητήματα σὺν ἡμῖν ἴδωσι, καὶ τὸ εὐσεύὲς τῶν Πατέοων - Περὶ δὲ τῆς ἐμῆς βραδύτητος ἴστω ὑμῶν ἡ εὐσέόεια, ὡς πρὸς τὸ χερσαῖον διάστημα τῆς ὁδοῦ (διὰ γἧς γὰρ ἡμῶν ἡ ὁδὸς γεγένηται) σφόδρα ἐπεταχύναμεν τεσσαράκοντα γὰρ μονὰς ὡδεύσαμεν, μηδεμιᾶς ἀναχωχῆς κατὰ τὴν πορείαν ἀπολαύσαντες, ὡς ἔξἐστιν ὑμῶν τῇ φιλοχρίστῳ βασιλείᾳ παρὰ τῶν τὰς κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν πόλεις οἰκούντων μαθεῖν. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ ὁ λιμὸς κατὰ τὴν ᾿Αντιόχειαν γενόμενος, καὶ αἱ καθ᾽ ἐκάστην ἡμέραν ταρακαὶ τοῦ δήμου, καὶ παρὰ τὸν καιρὸν σφοδροτάτη γενομένη ἑπομδρία, ἣ καὶ κίνδυνον ἐκ τὧν χειμάῤῥων ἐπήγαγε τῇ πόλει, οὐκ ὀλίγας ἡμέρας ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν προειρημένην ἐπέσχε πόλιν.

silea, di᾽ hēs emēnysōn ta par᾽ autois «rachthenta, kai tēn aitiōn tou bradous tēs aphexeōs tou ᾿Agtiocheias episkopou. Tois eusethesin hymōn keleusthentes grammasi, chateladomen tēn Ephesiōn mētropolin, kai eurymen pasēs synchyseōs kai emphyliou polemon gemonta ta ekklēsiastika pragmata, Kyrillon tou santōn, kai mēte tēs hagias Pentēkostēs tēn pannas hē tas heōthinas leitourgias " pros de toutois kai tas hagias ekklēsias, kai ta hagia martyria apoochleisantōn, kath᾽ heautous de syn tois apatētheisin hyp᾽ autōn synedreusantōn, kai myria paranoma ergasamenōn, kai tous te tōn hagiōn Paterōn kanonas, ta te hymetera patēsantōn thespismata’ kai tou para tēs hymeteras philochristou koryphēs aposta… agraphōs, anameinai tous pantachothen aphiknoumenous hagiōtatons episkopous, kai tote koinę̄ to synedrion poiēsai kata ta grammata tēs hymeteras eusedeias" kai autou de Kyrillou tou ᾿Alexandreōs lantos moi tǭ tēs ᾿Antiocheōn, pro dyo hēmerōn tou Hyenomenou hyp᾽ autōn synedriou, hōs ē synodos pasa anamenei mou tēn parousian. Dio amphoterous tous proeirēmenous chatheilomen, Kyrillon kai Memnona, kai pasēs echklēsiastichēę̄s leitourgias allotreous pepoiēkamen" tous de loipous, tous tautēs tēs paranomias hautois choinōnēsantas, akoinōnētous pepoiēkamen, heōs an ta chelinariou kai Eunomiou kai ᾿Areiou kakodoxias getēs hymeteras eusedeias gramma koinę̄ syn hēmin synedreusantes, hēsychōs kai achridōs ta te zētēmata syn hēmin idōsi, kai to euseues tōn Pateoōn - Peri de tēs emēs bradytētos istō hymōn hē euseoeia, hōs pros to chersaion diastēma tēs hodou (dia gēs gar hēmōn hē hodos gegenētai) sphodra epetachynamen tessarakonta gar monas hōdeusamen, mēdemias anachōchēs kata tēn poreian apolausantes, hōs exestin hymōn tę̄ philochristǭ basileią para tōn tas kata tēn hodon poleis oikountōn mathein. Pros de toutois kai ho limos kata tēn ᾿Antiocheian genomenos, kai hai kath᾽ ekastēn hēmeran tarakai tou dēmou, kai para ton kairon sphodrotatē genomenē hepomdria, hē kai kindynon ek tōn cheimarrhōn epēgage tę̄ polei, ouk oligas hēmeras hēmas eis tēn proeirēmenēn epesche polin.

Report of the Easterns to the emperor, in which they made known what had been done among them, and the reason for the delay in the arrival of the bishop of Antioch.

At the command of your pious letters we reached the metropolis of the Ephesians, and we found ecclesiastical affairs full of every confusion and of civil war, since Cyril … and had allowed neither the … of holy Pentecost nor the morning services, and besides had shut the holy churches and the holy martyrs' shrines, and had held a session by themselves with those whom they had deceived, and had done countless lawless things, trampling on the canons of the holy Fathers and on your decrees; and this although the one sent by your Christ-loving head had told them … and in person to wait for the most holy bishops arriving from everywhere, and then to hold the council in common according to the letters of your piety; and although Cyril of Alexandria himself had … to me, the bishop of Antioch, two days before the session they held, that the whole synod was awaiting my arrival. Therefore we have deposed both of those named, Cyril and Memnon, and made them strangers to every ecclesiastical ministry; and the rest, who shared in this lawlessness with them, we have excommunicated, until … of the evil opinion of Apollinarius and Eunomius and Arius … the letter of your piety, sitting in session together with us, they examine the questions with us quietly and precisely, and … the piety of the Fathers … As for my slowness, let your piety know that, for the distance by land (for our journey was made overland), we hurried greatly: we travelled forty stages without any rest on the way, as your Christ-loving majesty can learn from those who live in the cities along the road. Besides this, the famine that had come upon Antioch, the daily disturbances of the people, and an extremely heavy rainfall out of season, which also brought danger to the city from the torrents, held us in that city for not a few days.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: The Eastern bishops at Ephesus (431) report to the emperor that they found Cyril and Memnon acting lawlessly, have deposed them and excommunicated their supporters, and explain why John of Antioch arrived late.

Migne Letter 152, the report of John of Antioch and the Eastern bishops to Theodosius II from the council of Ephesus (431), among Theodoret's letters as a document he shared in. The heading is the scan's.
Several lines are lost in the OCR after 'since Cyril', in 'had told them … and in person' (probably 'in writing'), after 'had … to me', after 'until', and after 'the piety of the Fathers'. Marked '…'.
The deposition of Cyril of Alexandria and Memnon of Ephesus by the Eastern bishops, and their polemic, are translated as written.
Compared afterwards with NPNF² 3 (Blomfield Jackson, 1892), which names the imperial envoy as Count Candidianus; the gaps are left as gaps.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Migne's reference to another edition; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; some Greek is lost here): (οποίον, ἴοι. ΕΥ̓, Ρ. 1271. → ; Α δὲ Ερ ιόδίοτπι τηοίτοροὶ ῃ ἀσνδηΐην5, οἱ οοηίυ → ; ἀποσταρἃρα γι ΐἀγράφως → ἀποστα… ἀγράφως.

Topics: Heresy, Church office

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 152 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/152). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/152

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).

Chapter 153

153PG 83

Ἕτερα γνωρίζειν τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ προσδοκήσαντες εὐσεδείᾳ, τὰ ἐναντία δηλῶσαι ἠναγκάσθημεν, τῆς τυραννικῆς ἀταξίας Κυρίλλον τοῦ ᾿Αλεξανδρέως καὶ Μέμνονος τοῦ Ἐφεσίου τοῦτο ποιῆσαι βιαζομένης. Τὴ 'Δέον γὰρ διά τε τὴν τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν θεσμῶν ἀκολουθίαν, καὶ διὰ τὰ εὐσεδή τῶν φιλοχρίστων ἡμῶν … μένων θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων τὴν παρουσίαν, κοινῇ δὲ. σκέψασθαι τὰ περὶ τῆς εὑσεδοῦς πίστεως, καὶ τὰ προκείμενα ζητήματα συνιδεῖν, καὶ δόγμα᾽' γράψαντες ἡμῖν, ὡς τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀναμένουσι παρουσίαν, καὶ μαθόντες ὡς ἀπὸ τριῶν μονῶν τυγχάνομεν, καθ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς τυραννι χὸν συνέδριον συγἀτοπίας γέμοντα ἐτόλμησαν πράγματα" καὶ ταῦτα τοῦ … στων ἡμῶν βασιλέων ἀποσταλέντος, καὶ ἀγράφως αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐγγράφως παρεγγυήσαντος ἀναμεῖναι τοὺς συγχληθέντας θεοφιλεστάτους ἐπισκόπους, καὶ περὶ τὴν εὐσεδῇ πίστιν, ἀλλὰ τὸϊῖς θεσπισθεῖσι παρὰ τῶν τὰ θεῖα φρο… σαντες, ὠὰ ἀσπίδων ἔῤῥηξαν, καὶ ἱστὸν ἀράχνης, ἀν, οὶ ὠῶν αὐτῶν φαγεῖν, συντρίψας οὔριον εὗρε, καὶ ἐν «ε Ὁ ἱστὸς … ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν. » Τούτου χάριν τὰς πολλὰς ἀτοπίας αὐτῶν θεασάμενοι" (τάς τε γὰρ ἐκκλησίας, καὶ τὰ ἅγια μαρτύρια ἀπέκλεισαν, τῆς τε ἁγίας Πεντηκοστῆς τὴν πανήγυριν ἐπιτελέσαι οὐκ εἴασαν" καὶ πρὸς τούτοις τοὺς τῆς τυραννικῆς αὐτῶν ἀταξίας ὑπηρέτας εἰς τὰς τῶν ἐπισκόπων οἰκίας ἀποστέλλοντες, καὶ τὰ ἀνήκεστα ἀπειλοῦντες, ὑπογράψαι τοῖς ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν παρανόμως ἠνάγκασαν") οὗ χάριν τοὺς προειρημένους Κύριλλον καὶ Μέμνονα χαθείλομεν, καὶ τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ἀλλοτρίους πεποιήκαμεν, τούς.τε συνεργήαὐτῶν τῇ ἀταξίᾳ, καὶ εἴτε κολακείᾳ, εἴτε φόβῳ ὑποσυρέντας, ἀκοινωνήτους πεποιήκαμεν, ἕως ἂν εἰς αἴσθησιν τῶν οἰκείων ἐλθόντες τραυμάτων, καὶ κεφάλαια, τὰ τῇ ᾿Απολιναρίου, καὶ ᾿Αρείου,. καὶ Εὐἀναθεματίσαντες, τὴν τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ συναθροισθέντων πίστιν, καὶ κατὰ τὰ εὐσεδῇ τῶν φιλοχρίστων ἡμῶν βασιλέων θεσπίσματα ἡσύχως καὶ δίχα θορύδου τινὸς εἰς τὸ συνέδριον συνελθόντες, τά τε ζητούμενα συνιδεῖν ἐθελήσωσι, καὶ τἧς εὐαγγελικῆς πίστεως τὸ εἰλυιρινὲς ἀδόλως φυλά- Τῇ θεοφιλεῖ καὶ φιλοχρίστῳ συγκλήτῳ ἡ ἁγία σύνοδος ἐν Κυρίῳ καίρειν. Λίαν ἀλγοῦμεν, οἰκείων μελῶν ἐκτομὴν τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ μεγαλοπρεπείᾳ μηνύειν ἀναγκαζόμενοι. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἀναγκαῖος ὃ χωρισμὸς τῶν σεσηπότων μελῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ὀδύνην πικρὰν τῷ λοιπῷ σώματι κατεργάζεται. ε Εἰ πάσχει γὰρ, φησὶν ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος, ἕν μέλος, συμπάσχει πάντα τὰ μέλη. » ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως οὐ δῶν μελῶν ἡ τομή. Ὃ γὰρ ἐχέφρων καὶ σοφὸς τῶν σωμάτων θεραπευτὴς εἰς τὴν τῶν λοιπῶν μελῶν ἀφορῶν ὑγείαν, καταφρονεῖ τοῦ σεσηπότος, παντὶ τῷ σώματι τὴν σωτηρίαν πραγματευόμενος. ᾿ Τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος πεποιῆκαμεν. Εὔρομεν γὰρ Κύριλλον, τὸν ᾿Αλεξανδρείας ἐπίσκοπον, καὶ Μέμνονα, τὸν Ἐφέσου, μυρία ἅττα κατὰ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ 'Εκκλησίας ἐργαζομένους δεινὰ, καὶ θορύδου, καὶ ταραχῆς τήν τε πόλιν, καὶ τὴν ἁγίαν σύνοδον ἐμπλήσαντας, ναύταις τε Αἰγυπτίοις καὶ ἀγροίγους, καὶ μήτε τοὺς συγχληθέντας ἀγιωτάτους καὶ γραμμάτων τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων καὶ φιλοχρίστων ἡμῶν βασιλέων ἀνασχομένους, μήτε ταῖς εἰσηγήσεσι ἀθέσμως τε καὶ παρανόμως πάντα ἐργαζομένους, καὶ τῆς ἁγίας Πεντηκοστῆς τὴν πανήγυριν ἐπιτελέσαι χωλύσαντας, τούς τε θείους ναοὺς, καὶ τοὺς τῶν χαλεὔξασθαι τοῖς βουλομένοις ἐξῇ, τοῖς μακρὰν μὲν πορείαν πεποιημένοις, ἐφιεμένοις ὃὲ πάσας τὰς τῶν ἁγίων καὶ χαλλινίχων μαρτύρων περιπτύξασθαι λάρναχας, οὐκ ἥκιστα δὲ τὴν τοῦ τρισμαχαρίου Ἰωάννου τοῦ θεολόγου καὶ εὐαγγελιστοῦ, τοῦ πολλὴν πρὸς τὸν ἡμέτερον Δεσπότην πάρε ῆσιαν μένου. Διὸ τοὺς προειρημένους Κύριλλον καὶ Μέμνονα καθελεῖν ἠναγκάσθημεν, καὶ τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ἀλλο- … τῶν τῇ αὐθαδείᾳ καὶ τυραννίδι, ἢ δι᾽ ἀπάτην, ἣ τρήσαντες τὴν παιδείαν τῇ τῆς προαιρέσεως μετα- Ἣν γὰρ αἴσθωνται τῆς πλημμελείας, χαι τῆς αἱρετικῆς παύσωνται κακοδοξίας, τὴν τε τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων πίστιν τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ τῆς Βιθυνίας τῶν ἀναχτέσωνται, καὶ σὺν ἡμῖν κατὰ τὰ γράμματα … ἐπιγνόντες πλημμέλημα. τῶν εὐσεδεστάτων καὶ φιλοχρίστων ἡμῶν βασιλέων εἰς τὸ συνέδριον συνελθόντες μεθ᾽ ἡσυχίας ἱερεῦσι πρεπούτης τὰ ζητούμενα ἐρευνήσωσι, τοῦ τε δεσμοῦ τῆς ἀχοινωνησίας ἀπαλλαγήσονται, καὶ τὴν ἱερατικὴν ἀπολήψονται λειτουργίαν.

Hetera gnōrizein tę̄ hymeterą prosdokēsantes eusedeią, ta enantia dēlōsai ēnankasthēmen, tēs tyrannikēs ataxias Kyrillon tou ᾿Alexandreōs kai Memnonos tou Ephesiou touto poiēsai biazomenēs. Tē 'Deon gar dia te tēn tōn ekklēsiastikōn thesmōn akolouthian, kai dia ta eusedē tōn philochristōn hēmōn … menōn theophilestatōn episkopōn tēn parousian, koinę̄ de. skepsasthai ta peri tēs heusedous pisteōs, kai ta prokeimena zētēmata synidein, kai dogma᾽' grapsantes hēmin, hōs tēn hēmeteran anamenousi parousian, kai mathontes hōs apo triōn monōn tynchanomen, kath᾽ heautous tyranni chon synedrion sygatopias gemonta etolmēsan pragmata" kai tauta tou … stōn hēmōn basileōn apostalentos, kai agraphōs autois kai engraphōs parengyēsantos anameinai tous synchlēthentas theophilestatous episkopous, kai peri tēn eusedę̄ pistin, alla toïis thespistheisi para tōn ta theia phro… santes, ōa aspidōn errhēxan, kai histon arachnēs, an, oi ōōn autōn phagein, syntripsas ourion heure, kai en «e Ho histos … apo tōn ergōn tōn cheirōn autōn. » Toutou charin tas pollas atopias autōn theasamenoi" (tas te gar ekklēsias, kai ta hagia martyria apekleisan, tēs te hagias Pentēkostēs tēn panēgyrin epitelesai ouk eiasan" kai pros toutois tous tēs tyrannikēs autōn ataxias hypēretas eis tas tōn episkopōn oikias apostellontes, kai ta anēkesta apeilountes, hypograpsai tois hyp᾽ autōn paranomōs ēnankasan") hou charin tous proeirēmenous Kyrillon kai Memnona chatheilomen, kai tēs episkopēs allotrious pepoiēkamen, tous.te synergēautōn tę̄ ataxią, kai eite kolakeią, eite phobǭ hyposyrentas, akoinōnētous pepoiēkamen, heōs an eis aisthēsin tōn oikeiōn elthontes traumatōn, kai kephalaia, ta tę̄ ᾿Apolinariou, kai ᾿Areiou,. kai Euanathematisantes, tēn tōn hagiōn Paterōn tōn en Nikaią synathroisthentōn pistin, kai kata ta eusedę̄ tōn philochristōn hēmōn basileōn thespismata hēsychōs kai dicha thorydou tinos eis to synedrion synelthontes, ta te zētoumena synidein ethelēsōsi, kai tēs euangelikēs pisteōs to eiluirines adolōs phyla- Tę̄ theophilei kai philochristǭ synklētǭ hē hagia synodos en Kyriǭ kairein. Lian algoumen, oikeiōn melōn ektomēn tę̄ hymeterą megaloprepeią mēnyein anankazomenoi. Ei gar kai anankaios ho chōrismos tōn sesēpotōn melōn, all᾽ homōs odynēn pikran tǭ loipǭ sōmati katergazetai. e Ei paschei gar, phēsin ho makarios Paulos, hen melos, sympaschei panta ta melē. » ᾿All᾽ homōs ou dōn melōn hē tomē. Ho gar echephrōn kai sophos tōn sōmatōn therapeutēs eis tēn tōn loipōn melōn aphorōn hygeian, kataphronei tou sesēpotos, panti tǭ sōmati tēn sōtērian pragmateuomenos. ᾿ Touto kai hēmeis epi tou parontos pepoiēkamen. Euromen gar Kyrillon, ton ᾿Alexandreias episkopon, kai Memnona, ton Ephesou, myria hatta kata tēs tou Theou 'Ekklēsias ergazomenous deina, kai thorydou, kai tarachēs tēn te polin, kai tēn hagian synodon emplēsantas, nautais te Aigyptiois kai agroigous, kai mēte tous synchlēthentas agiōtatous kai grammatōn tōn theophilestatōn kai philochristōn hēmōn basileōn anaschomenous, mēte tais eisēgēsesi athesmōs te kai paranomōs panta ergazomenous, kai tēs hagias Pentēkostēs tēn panēgyrin epitelesai chōlysantas, tous te theious naous, kai tous tōn chaleuxasthai tois boulomenois exę̄, tois makran men poreian pepoiēmenois, ephiemenois hoe pasas tas tōn hagiōn kai challinichōn martyrōn periptyxasthai larnachas, ouk hēkista de tēn tou trismachariou Iōannou tou theologou kai euangelistou, tou pollēn pros ton hēmeteron Despotēn pare ēsian menou. Dio tous proeirēmenous Kyrillon kai Memnona kathelein ēnankasthēmen, kai tēs episkopēs allo- … tōn tę̄ authadeią kai tyrannidi, ē di᾽ apatēn, hē trēsantes tēn paideian tę̄ tēs proaireseōs meta- Hēn gar aisthōntai tēs plēmmeleias, chai tēs hairetikēs pausōntai kakodoxias, tēn te tōn hagiōn Paterōn pistin tōn en Nikaią tēs Bithynias tōn anachtesōntai, kai syn hēmin kata ta grammata … epignontes plēmmelēma. tōn eusedestatōn kai philochristōn hēmōn basileōn eis to synedrion synelthontes meth᾽ hēsychias hiereusi prepoutēs ta zētoumena ereunēsōsi, tou te desmou tēs achoinōnēsias apallagēsontai, kai tēn hieratikēn apolēpsontai leitourgian.

Report of the same to the empresses.

We had expected to make other things known to your piety, but we have been compelled to report the opposite, since the tyrannical disorder of Cyril of Alexandria and Memnon of Ephesus forced us to do this. For whereas, in keeping with the ordinances of the church and the pious decrees of our Christ-loving emperors, they ought to have … the arrival of the most God-beloved bishops who had been summoned, and in common to consider the matters of the pious faith, examine the questions before them, and … doctrine, they, after writing to us that they were awaiting our arrival, and learning that we were three stages away, by themselves … a tyrannical session and dared deeds full of absurdity; and this although … had been sent by our most … emperors and had charged them, both in person and in writing, to wait for the most God-beloved bishops who had been summoned, and … concerning the pious faith; but … what had been decreed by those who … divine things, they 'broke asps' eggs, and wove a spider's web' … 'from the works of their hands.' For this reason, seeing their many absurdities (for they shut the churches and the holy martyrs' shrines and did not allow the festival of holy Pentecost to be celebrated; and besides, sending the servants of their tyrannical disorder to the bishops' houses and threatening fatal things, they forced them to sign what they had lawlessly done), we have for this reason deposed the aforesaid Cyril and Memnon and made them strangers to the episcopate; and those who worked with them in their disorder, and were drawn in by flattery or by fear, we have excommunicated, until, coming to a sense of their own wounds, … the chapters … of Apollinarius and Arius and Eunomius, … anathematizing them, … the faith of the holy Fathers assembled at Nicaea, and, according to the pious decrees of our Christ-loving emperors, coming to the council quietly and without any uproar, they are willing to examine the questions and to keep the purity of the gospel faith without guile …

[Letter 154] Report of the same to the senate of Constantinople

To the God-beloved and Christ-loving senate, the holy synod sends greeting in the Lord. We are deeply grieved to be compelled to report to your magnificence the cutting off of our own members. For even if the separation of rotten members is necessary, it still causes bitter pain to the rest of the body: 'For if one member suffers,' says the blessed Paul, 'all the members suffer together.' Yet the cutting is not … of members. For the sensible and wise physician of bodies, looking to the health of the other members, disregards the rotten one and procures safety for the whole body. This is what we too have now done. For we found Cyril, bishop of Alexandria, and Memnon, bishop of Ephesus, doing countless terrible things against the church of God, and filling both the city and the holy synod with uproar and confusion, with Egyptian sailors and rustics; neither … the most holy … who had been summoned, nor … the letters of our most God-beloved and Christ-loving emperors, nor the proposals …; doing everything unlawfully and illegally; preventing the festival of holy Pentecost from being celebrated; and … the divine temples and the … of the triumphant … so that those who wished might pray … those who had made a long journey and longed to embrace all the coffins of the holy and triumphant martyrs, and not least that of the thrice-blessed John, the theologian and evangelist, who … great boldness before our Master. Therefore we were compelled to depose the aforesaid Cyril and Memnon and to make them strangers to the episcopate, … of those who … in their arrogance and tyranny, either through deceit or … by the change of their choice … For if they come to a sense of their offence and cease from the heretical evil opinion, and take up again the faith of the holy Fathers at Nicaea in Bithynia, and, recognizing … their offence, come together with us to the council according to the letters of our most pious and Christ-loving emperors and examine the questions with the quiet that befits priests, they will be released from the bond of excommunication and recover the priestly ministry.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Isa 59:5–6 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:26 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Eastern bishops report to the empresses and then to the senate of Constantinople that Cyril and Memnon, having held a session at Ephesus before the Easterns arrived, have been deposed, and that their supporters remain excommunicated until they anathematize Cyril's chapters.

Migne Letter 153 (to the empresses Pulcheria and Eudoxia), followed in the same passage by Letter 154 (to the senate of Constantinople), marked '[Letter 154]'; its heading is lost in the scan and is supplied from NPNF² 3. Both are synodal documents of the Eastern bishops at Ephesus (431).
Many lines are lost in the OCR in both letters, where Migne's Latin column interrupts the Greek; the gaps are marked '…' and nothing is supplied. A stray heading of the next letter ('Letter of the same to the … in …') printed inside Letter 154 has been removed by a logged correction.
'Broke asps' eggs and wove a spider's web … from the works of their hands' is Isa 59:5–6; 'if one member suffers' is 1 Cor 12:26. 'The chapters' are Cyril's Twelve Chapters. The bishops' polemic against Cyril and Memnon is translated as written.

Notes on the original text

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Topics: Heresy, Church office

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 153 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/153). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/153

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).

Chapter 155

155PG 83

Ἔγνω που πάντως ὑμῶν ἡ εὐλάδεια τὰ ἀθέσμως καὶ παρανόμως ὑπὸ Κυρίλλου τοῦ ᾿Αλεξανδρέως, καὶ Μέμνονος τοῦ Ἐφεσίου, καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτοῖς, παρὰ τὸ γράμμα τῶν εὐσεδεστάτων καὶ φιλοχρίστων ἡμῶν βασιλέων συνεδρευσάντων γεγενὴμένα. Διὸ ἀναγκαῖον ὠήθημεν γνωρίσαι ὑμῶν τῇ θεοσεδείᾳ, ὡς ἐκεῖνα μὲν ἅπαντα τὰ ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν τολμῇ θέντα, ἱστὸς ἀράχνης, κατὰ τὸν προφήτην, ὑπάρχε:. Αὑτοὶ δὲ οἱ ταῦτα τετολμηκότες, ὅ τε Κύριλλος, καὶ ὁ Μέμνων, ὡς ἔξαρχοι τῆς ἀταξίας καὶ παρανημίας γενόμενοι ὕφ᾽ ἡμῶν χκαθῃρέθησαν, καὶ ἀλλότριοι τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ἐγένοντο᾽ τοὺς δὲ σὺν αὐτοῖς συνεδρεῦσαι ἑλομένους, ἀκοινωνήτους πεποιήκαμεν, ἕως ἂν τὸ οἰκεῖον ἐπιγνόντες πλημμέλημα, τά τε αἷρετιχὰ κεφάλαια Κυρίλλονυ τοῦ ᾿Αλεξανδρέως ἀναθεματίσωσι, καὶ τὴν πίστιν τῶν ἀγίων Πατέρων τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ τῆς Βιθυνίας συναθροισθέντων ἀδόλως χαταδέξωνται. Μὴ τοίνυν θορυδήσῃ τις τὴν ὑμετέραν εὐλάδειαν … τῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα ποιεῖν εἰωθότων᾽ οὐδεμίαν γὰρ ἰσχὺν, ὡς ἤδη ἐδηλώσαμεν, ἔχει τὰ παρανόμως ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ τῷ εὐσεῤεξ καὶ φιλοχρίστῳ ἡμῶν βασιλεῖ ἐγνωρίσαμεν, καὶ τοῖς μεγαλοπρεπεστάτοις καὶ

Egnō pou pantōs hymōn hē euladeia ta athesmōs kai paranomōs hypo Kyrillou tou ᾿Alexandreōs, kai Memnonos tou Ephesiou, kai tōn syn autois, para to gramma tōn eusedestatōn kai philochristōn hēmōn basileōn synedreusantōn gegenēmena. Dio anankaion ōēthēmen gnōrisai hymōn tę̄ theosedeią, hōs ekeina men hapanta ta hyp᾽ autōn tolmę̄ thenta, histos arachnēs, kata ton prophētēn, hyparche:. Hautoi de hoi tauta tetolmēkotes, ho te Kyrillos, kai ho Memnōn, hōs exarchoi tēs ataxias kai paranēmias genomenoi hyph᾽ hēmōn chkathę̄rethēsan, kai allotrioi tēs episkopēs egenonto᾽ tous de syn autois synedreusai helomenous, akoinōnētous pepoiēkamen, heōs an to oikeion epignontes plēmmelēma, ta te haireticha kephalaia Kyrillony tou ᾿Alexandreōs anathematisōsi, kai tēn pistin tōn agiōn Paterōn tōn en Nikaią tēs Bithynias synathroisthentōn adolōs chatadexōntai. Mē toinyn thorydēsę̄ tis tēn hymeteran euladeian … tōn ta toiauta poiein eiōthotōn᾽ oudemian gar ischyn, hōs ēdē edēlōsamen, echei ta paranomōs hyp᾽ autōn Touto de kai tǭ euserex kai philochristǭ hēmōn basilei egnōrisamen, kai tois megaloprepestatois kai

Letter of John, bishop of Antioch, and those with him, to the clergy of Constantinople.

Your reverence surely knows what was done unlawfully and illegally by Cyril of Alexandria and Memnon of Ephesus and those who sat in session with them, contrary to the letter of our most pious and Christ-loving emperors. We therefore thought it necessary to make known to your godliness that all that they dared is, in the words of the prophet, a spider's web; and those who dared it, Cyril and Memnon, as leaders of the disorder and lawlessness, have been deposed by us and made strangers to the episcopate; and those who chose to sit in session with them we have excommunicated, until, recognizing their own offence, they anathematize the heretical chapters of Cyril of Alexandria and accept without guile the faith of the holy Fathers assembled at Nicaea in Bithynia. Let no one, then, of those accustomed to do such things disturb your reverence …; for what they did unlawfully has no force, as we have already shown. This we have also made known to our pious and Christ-loving emperor, and to the most magnificent and …

Isa 59:5 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: John of Antioch and the Eastern bishops tell the clergy of Constantinople that Cyril and Memnon have been deposed and their supporters excommunicated until they anathematize Cyril's chapters, so the clergy should not be disturbed.

Migne Letter 155 (staged as 152), from the Eastern bishops at Ephesus (431). The heading names only 'the …' as addressee; NPNF² 3 gives 'the clergy of Constantinople'. The letter breaks off at the end.
'A spider's web' recalls Isa 59:5. The bishops' polemic against Cyril is translated as written.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (end of the heading read into the text; stray mark; a word may be lost): κείας, καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ, πρὸς τὸν Ἔγνω → Ἔγνω; εὐλάδειαν ( τῶν → εὐλάδειαν … τῶν.

Topics: Heresy, Church office

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 155 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/155). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/155

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-epistulae-155) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).

Chapter 156

156PG 83

λαῷ τῆς ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει ἁγίας τοῦ θεοῦ Ἐχκλησίας ἡ σύνοδος. Νόμος ἔστιν ἄγραφος τοῖς ποιμέσι πολλὴν τῶν προδάτων ποιεῖσθαι κηδεμονίαν, ἵνα μήτε κλέπτης ταῦτα ται. Εἰ δὲ οἱ τῶν ἀλόγων προδάτων τὴν κηδεμονίαν πεπιστευμένοι τοσαύτην αὐτῶν ποιοῦνται προμήθειαν, ὡς βοᾷν τὸν μακάριον Ἰαχὼδ πρὸς τὸν Λάδαν" « Ἤμην συγκαιόμενος τῷ καύματι τῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ παγετῷ τῆς νυκτὸς, καὶ ἀφίστατο ὁ ὕπνος ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου, καὶ θηριάλωτον οὐκ ἐνήνοχά σο!" » ὅσην χρὴ ποιήσασθαι πρόνοιαν τῶν λογικῶν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν προδάτων, ἃ τοὺς θείους περίκειται χαδὲ Χριστὸν, καὶ σημειωθέντα τῷ φωτὶ τοῦ προσώπου Κυρίου; Τούτου χάριν ἀνανχαῖον ᾧήθημεν τὰς ὑμετέρας διὰ γραμμάτων προθεραπεῦσαι ψυχάς "Αὶ ἵνα μὴ ταῖς ματαίαις φήμαις ὑπαχθέντες ἀθυμήσητε, καὶ ταραχὴν ταῖς διανοίαις εἰσδέξησθε. ᾿Αφιχόμεθα γὰρ εἰς τὴν ᾿Εφεσίων πόλιν, τοῦ κηδεμόνος τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ τῶν εὐσεδεστάτων καὶ φιλοχρίστων βασιλέων ἡμῶν τὴν διάνοιαν εἰς τοῦτο κινήσαντος, καὶ εὕρομεν τὴν τε πόλιν θορύδου παντὸς πεπληρωμένην, χἀὶ τὴν ἅπασαν σύνοδον οὐ μετρίως ταραττομένην, καὶ κλύδωνα θαλάττιον τὴν ἁγίαν Ἐκκλησίαν μιμουμένην, Κυρίλλου τοῦ πρὶν ᾿Αλεξανδρείας ἐπισκόπου, καὶ Μέμνονος: τοῦ Ἐφεσίων, δίκην χαταιγίδων τὸν χαλεπὸν τοῦτον ἐγειράντων χειμῶνα. Δείσαντες γὰρ ὁ μὲν Αἰγύπτιος, ἵνα μὴ τὰ κεφάλαια τῆς αἱρετικῆς αὐτοῦ κακοδοξία;, τὰ τῇ αἱρετικὸν αὑτὸν χαταχρίνωμεν᾽ ὁ δὲ τῆς ἄλλης αὐτοῦ ῥεθυμίας τὰ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν θρυλλούμενα" σνμφρομην" καὶ ὁ μὲν πεντήχονυτα Αἰγυπτίους ἐπισκόπους, ὁ δὲ ᾿Ασιανοὺς πλείους ἣ τριάκοντα συναγαγὼν, καὶ ὄλλους τινὰς, τοὺς μὲν ἀπάτη. τοὺς δὲ φόδῳ προσλαθδόμενοι, οὐκ ἠδουλήθησαν μὲν ἀναμεῖναι τὸ κοινὸν τῶν πανταχόθεν ἀφικνουμένων ἁγιωτάτων ἐπισκόπων συνέδριον, καταφρονήσαντες δὲ τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν θεσμῶν, καὶ πάντα ἀτόπως καὶ παρανόμως διαπραξάμενοι, ὡς ἐξ ἀκροπόλεως μὲν δυσσεδεῖν ἅπασι παραχελεύονται, ναύτας δὲ χαὺὶ κληρικοὺς Αἰγυ- “πτίους, καὶ ἀγροίκους ᾿Ασιανοὺς εἰς τὰς τῶν ἐπισκό: πων οἰκίας ἀποστέλλοντες, καὶ τὰ ἀνήκεστα ἀπεικαὶ τὰς οἰκίας ἔξωθεν ἐπιγράφοντες, ὡς ἐπισήμους εἶναι τοὺς πολιορχηθῆναι ὀφείλοντας, ἠνάγκαζον συντίθεσθαι τοῖς ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν παρανόμως γεγενημένοις. αὐτῶν ἀταξίαν μεμαθηκότες, ἄτοπον ἡγησάμεθα, τοὺς εἰς τοσοῦτον κακίας ἐληλαχότας, ἐν τῇ θείᾳ καὶ μεγάλῃ ἱερωσύνῃ καταλιπεῖν. Διὸ τούτους μὲν, ὡς τῶν κακῶν ἡγεμόνας, καθελεῖν ἠἡναγχάσθημεν, καὶ τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ἀλλοτρίους πεποιέχαμεν " τοὺς δὲ τούτοις συνεργήσαντας τῷ ρεύοντες τὴν μετάνοιαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν τῆς φιλανθρωπίας … η αὐτοῖς ὑπανοίξαντες θύραν. Ἣν γὰρ ἐθελήσωσιν ὡς τάχιστα ἀναθεματίσαι μὲν τὰ ὑπὸ Κυρίλλου ἀποσταλέντα κεφάλαια, τὰ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς καὶ εὐαγγελικῇς διδασκαλίας ἀλλότρια, εἰς δὲ τὴν πίστιν τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων ἐπανελθεῖν, τῶν ἐν Νιχαΐί τῆς Βιθυνίας συνελθόντων, καὶ κατὰ τὸ γράμμα τῶν εὑόως καὶ ἀκριδῶς τά τε προκείμενα συζητῆσαι, καὶ τὸ εὐσεδὲς δόγμα κυρῶσαι, παραυτίκα αὐτοὺς ὡς οἰχεῖχ μέλη δεξόμεθα, καὶ τοὺς ἱερατικοὺς αὐτοῖς ἀποδώσομεν θρόνους. … συνόδοι' πρὸς τὸν χωαλλίνιχον βασι.λέα, δηλοῦσα καὶ αὖθις Ἧ διαλάμπουσα ὑμῶν εὐσέδεια ἐπ᾽ εὐεργεσίᾳ τῆς οἰκουμένης καὶ τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ ᾿Εκκλησιῶν ἐχέλευσεν. ἡμᾶς ἐν τῇ τῶν Ἐφεσίων ἀθροισθῆναι, ὥστε κέρδος καὶ εἰρήνην τῇ Ἔχχλησίχ περιποιῆδαι, οὐκ ὥστε συγχύσεως καὶ ἀταξίας πάντα πληρῶσαι. Καὶ αὐτὰ δὲ τὰ τοῦ ὑμετέρου κράτους θεσπίσματα σαφῶς καὶ διαῤῥήδην τὸν εὐὑσεδῇ ὑμῶν καὶ εἰρηνικὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἐκκλησιῶν μηνύει σκοπόν. ὋὉ δὲ ἐπ᾽ ὀλέθρῳ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν καὶ τεχθεὶς καὶ τραφεὶς, ὡς ἔοικε, Κύριλλος ὁ τῆς ᾿Αλεξανξρείας, … πρῶτον μὲν εἰς τὸ γαληνὸν καὶ εὐσεόὲς ὑμῶν … αὑτοῦ δεικνύς, Τοῦ γὰρ ὑμετέρου κράτους θεσπίσαντος περὶ πίστεως τὴν ἐξέτασιν γενέσθαι, καὶ βάσανον ἀχριθῇ τὴν μεθ᾽ ὁμονοίας καὶ εἰρήνης φῶν πάντων" ὁ Κύριλλος ἐπὶ τοῖς ᾿Απολιναρίου δόγμασιν ἐγκαλούμενος, μᾶλλον δὲ αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἐλέγξας, δι’ ὧν πρώην εἰς τὴν βασιλίδα πόλιν μετ᾽ ἰδίας ὑπογραφἧς ἀπέστειλε μετ᾽ ἀναθεματισμῶν, ἐν οἷς τὰ τοῦ δυσσεδοῦς καὶ αἱρετιχκοῦ ᾿Απολιναρίου φρονῶν ἐλήλεγκται, καὶ οὐδενὸς τούτων φροντίσας, ὡς ἐν ἀόδασιλεύτοις καιροῖς, χωρεῖ πρὸς πᾶσαν παρανομίαν" καὶ δέον λόγον δοῦναι ὑπὲρ ὧν διεφθαρμένῃ χρῆται τῇ περὶ τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν δόξῃ, ἀρπάσας ἑαυτῷ τὴν αὐθεντίαν, τὴν μήτε παρὰ τῶν κανόνων αὐτῷ δεδομένην, μήτε ἀπὸ τῶν ὑμετέρων θεσπισμάτων, ὁρμᾷ πρὸς πᾶν εἶδος ἀταξίας καὶ παρανομίας. Ἐπὶ τούτοις κινηθεῖσα ἡ ἀγία σύνοδος, ἡ οὐ παραδεξαμένη τὰς ἐπὶ λύμῃ τῆς πίστεως αὐτοῦ ἐπινοίας, τοῦτον μὲν καθαιρεῖ διὰ τὰ προειρημένα πάντα Μέμνονα δὲ ὡς συνεργὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ συναγωνιστὴν ἐν ἄπασι γεγενημένον, καὶ μυρίους θορύδους κατὰ τῶν ἁγιωτάτων ἐπισκόπων, τῶν συνθέσθαι τῇ αἱρετικῇ ἐχείνου κακοδοξίᾳ μὴ ἀνασχομένων, ἐγείραντα, καὶ τὰς ἐκκλησίας καὶ πάντα τόπον εὐκτήριον χλείσαντα, ὡς ἐν Ἑλληνικοῖς καὶ θεομάχοις καὶροῖ;" καὶ πλῆθος ἐπιχώριον τῆς Ἐφεσίων ἐπεισαγαγόντα, ὡς περὶ τοῦ παντὸς ἡμῖν εἶναι καθ᾽ ἑκάστην τὸν χίνδυ… οὐ πρὸς ἄμυναν βλέπουσιν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰ ὀρθὰ δόγματα τῆς εὐσεδείας. Τὸ γὰρ τούτους ἐκκόψαι, οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστιν, ἣ τὴν ὀρθοδοξίαν στῆσαι. Ἔξεστι δὲ ὑμῶν τῷ κράτει ἐξ αὑτῶν αὐτοῦ τῶν κεφαλαίων τὸ δυσσεδὲς αὑτοῦ φρόνημα ἐπιγνῶναι" τελευτήσαντα γὰρ τὸν δυσσεδῇ ᾿Απολινάριον ἐν τῇ αἱρέσει, οἱονεὶ ἐξ ἅδου ἐγείρων, καὶ ἐπιστρατεύων ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις καὶ τῇ ὀρθοδόξῳ πίστει ἐλέγχεται, καὶ ἀναθεματίζων ἐν οἷς ἐκτίθεται, εὐαγγελιστὰς ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀποστόλους, καὶ τοὺς μετ᾽ ἐκείνους Ἐκκλησίας προγόνους, οἱ παρὰ τοῦ ἁγίον Πνεύματος, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἀπὸ λογισμῶν οἰκείων ὁρμώμενοι τὴν εὐσεδῇή πίστιν ἐκήρυξαν, καὶ κατήγγειλαν τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον, ἀπἐναντίας οἷς οὗτος καὶ φρονεῖ, καὶ διδάσκει, καὶ ἐξ ἐπιτάγματος βούλεται τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀσέδειαν πανταχοῦ τῆς οἰκουμένης κρατεῖν. “Ὅπερ οὐ φέροντες, τῇ στάσει τῇ δεούσῃ ἐχρησάμεθα, τῇ τε θείᾳ ῥοπῇ καὶ τῷ τῆς εὐσεόδείας ὑμῶν θαῤῥοῦντες σκοπῷ. Ἴσμεν γὰρ ὡς οὐδὲν προτιμήσετε τῆς ὑγιοῦς πίστεως, ἧ συντραφέντες ὑμεῖς τε, καὶ οἱ τρισμαχάριοι ὑμῶν πρόγονοι, ἀδιάδοχα τὰ τῆς βασιλείας παρειλῆφατε σκῆπτρα, τοὺς τοῖς ἀποστολικοῖς δόγμασιν ἐναντίου μένους ἀεὶ καταλύοντες " ὧν ἐστιν ὁ προειρημένος Κύριλλος, ὃς ὥσπερ ἀκρόπολιν χατειληφὼς τὴν ἜἜφεσον διὰ Μέμνονος τοῦ συνεργοῦ, δικαίως μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὴν καθαίρεσιν ἀπηνέγκατο" πρὸς γὰρ τοῖς ξὶρημένοις, πᾶσαν ἔφοδον, καὶ πᾶσαν ἀταξίαν ἐτόλμησαν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν, οἵ συνελέγημεν, καὶ πόλεων ἀμελήσαντες, καὶ πατρίδων, καὶ ἑαυτῶν, ὥστε τὸ ὑμέτε- Καὶ ἐσμὲν νῦν τυραννίδος παρανάλωμα, εἰ μὴ ἑτέρωσε ἡμᾶς συνελθεῖν, πλησίον που, ἔνθα δυνησόμεθα ἀπό τε τῶν Γραφῶν, καὶ τῶν συγγεγραμ» μένων τοῖς Πατράσι βίόλων, ἐλέγξαι αὐτοὺς σαφῶς, τόν τε Κύριλλον, καὶ τοὺς ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ ὑπαχθέντας, αὐτοῖς σωτηρίας, εἰ μεταμεληθεῖεν, ὑποφαίνοντες " οἵ ὥσπερ ἐπὶ στρατείᾳ βαρδαριχῇ ὕλας ἀταξίας αὐτῷ μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος παρέσχον" οἱ μὲν χαθῃρημένοι ὄντες ἐκ πολλοῦ, καὶ ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ προσληφθέντες " οἱ δὲ ἀχοινώνητο! τοῖς οἰκείοις μητροπολίταις, καὶ ὑπ᾽ αὖτοῦ εἰς κοινωνίαν δεχθέντες " ἄλλοι διαφόροις ἐγκλήμασιν ἐμπεπαρμένοι, παρ᾽ αὑτοῦ τιμηθέντες. Καὶ ταῦτα ἐποίει ἀπὸ τοῦ πλήθους κυρῶσαι τὸ αἱρετικὸν αὑτοῦ πειρώμενος φρόνημα, μὴ λογισάμενος, ὡς ἐν εὐσεδείχ οὐκ ἀριθμὸς ζητεῖται, ἀλλ᾽ ὀρθότης δογμάτων, καὶ ἡ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν δογμάτων ἀλήθεια, καὶ ἄνδρες ἐν τούτοις εὐσεδῶς ἐξ ἀποστολικῶν ἀποδείξεων καὶ μαρτυριῶν εἰδότες συνίστασθαι, καὶ οὐκ ἐκ θράσους καὶ αὐθεντίας τυραννικῆς. Ὅθεν παρακαλοῦμεν καὶ ἱκετεύομεν διὰ τάχους ἐπαμῦναι τῇ εὑὐσεδείᾳ πολεμουμένῃ τὸ ὑμέτερον κράτος, καὶ διόρθωσιν ὀξυτάτην ἐπιθεῖναι τῇ τούτων μανίᾳ καὶ τυραννίξι, ἣ ὥσπερ τις λαΐλαψ πρὸς αἶρεχαιὸν γὰρ τὴν ὑμετέραν εὐσέδειαν, τὴν τῶν ἐν τῇ Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῇ σαλευομένας μὴ παριδεῖν Ἐκκλησίας.

laǭ tēs en Kōnstantinoupolei hagias tou theou Echklēsias hē synodos. Nomos estin agraphos tois poimesi pollēn tōn prodatōn poieisthai kēdemonian, hina mēte kleptēs tauta tai. Ei de hoi tōn alogōn prodatōn tēn kēdemonian pepisteumenoi tosautēn autōn poiountai promētheian, hōs boąn ton makarion Iachōd pros ton Ladan" « Ēmēn synkaiomenos tǭ kaumati tēs hēmeras, kai pagetǭ tēs nyktos, kai aphistato ho hypnos apo tōn ophthalmōn mou, kai thērialōton ouk enēnocha so!" » hosēn chrē poiēsasthai pronoian tōn logikōn tou Sōtēros hēmōn prodatōn, ha tous theious perikeitai chade Christon, kai sēmeiōthenta tǭ phōti tou prosōpou Kyriou? Toutou charin ananchaion hǭēthēmen tas hymeteras dia grammatōn protherapeusai psychas "Ai hina mē tais mataiais phēmais hypachthentes athymēsēte, kai tarachēn tais dianoiais eisdexēsthe. ᾿Aphichometha gar eis tēn ᾿Ephesiōn polin, tou kēdemonos tōn holōn Theou tōn eusedestatōn kai philochristōn basileōn hēmōn tēn dianoian eis touto kinēsantos, kai heuromen tēn te polin thorydou pantos peplērōmenēn, chai tēn hapasan synodon ou metriōs tarattomenēn, kai klydōna thalattion tēn hagian Ekklēsian mimoumenēn, Kyrillou tou prin ᾿Alexandreias episkopou, kai Memnonos: tou Ephesiōn, dikēn chataigidōn ton chalepon touton egeirantōn cheimōna. Deisantes gar ho men Aigyptios, hina mē ta kephalaia tēs hairetikēs autou kakodoxia?, ta tę̄ hairetikon hauton chatachrinōmen᾽ ho de tēs allēs autou rhethymias ta kata tēn polin thrylloumena" snmphromēn" kai ho men pentēchonyta Aigyptious episkopous, ho de ᾿Asianous pleious hē triakonta synagagōn, kai ollous tinas, tous men apatē. tous de phodǭ proslathdomenoi, ouk ēdoulēthēsan men anameinai to koinon tōn pantachothen aphiknoumenōn hagiōtatōn episkopōn synedrion, kataphronēsantes de tōn ekklēsiastikōn thesmōn, kai panta atopōs kai paranomōs diapraxamenoi, hōs ex akropoleōs men dyssedein hapasi paracheleuontai, nautas de chaui klērikous Aigy- “ptious, kai agroikous ᾿Asianous eis tas tōn episko: pōn oikias apostellontes, kai ta anēkesta apeikai tas oikias exōthen epigraphontes, hōs episēmous einai tous poliorchēthēnai opheilontas, ēnankazon syntithesthai tois hyp᾽ autōn paranomōs gegenēmenois. autōn ataxian memathēkotes, atopon hēgēsametha, tous eis tosouton kakias elēlachotas, en tę̄ theią kai megalę̄ hierōsynę̄ katalipein. Dio toutous men, hōs tōn kakōn hēgemonas, kathelein hēēnanchasthēmen, kai tēs episkopēs allotrious pepoiechamen " tous de toutois synergēsantas tǭ reuontes tēn metanoian, alla tēn tēs philanthrōpias … ē autois hypanoixantes thyran. Hēn gar ethelēsōsin hōs tachista anathematisai men ta hypo Kyrillou apostalenta kephalaia, ta tēs apostolikēs kai euangelikę̄s didaskalias allotria, eis de tēn pistin tōn hagiōn Paterōn epanelthein, tōn en Nichaïi tēs Bithynias synelthontōn, kai kata to gramma tōn heuoōs kai akridōs ta te prokeimena syzētēsai, kai to eusedes dogma kyrōsai, parautika autous hōs oicheich melē dexometha, kai tous hieratikous autois apodōsomen thronous. … synodoi' pros ton chōallinichon basi.lea, dēlousa kai authis Hē dialampousa hymōn eusedeia ep᾽ euergesią tēs oikoumenēs kai tōn tou Theou ᾿Ekklēsiōn echeleusen. hēmas en tę̄ tōn Ephesiōn athroisthēnai, hōste kerdos kai eirēnēn tę̄ Echchlēsich peripoiēdai, ouk hōste synchyseōs kai ataxias panta plērōsai. Kai auta de ta tou hymeterou kratous thespismata saphōs kai diarrhēdēn ton euysedę̄ hymōn kai eirēnikon hyper tōn tou Christou Ekklēsiōn mēnyei skopon. HoO de ep᾽ olethrǭ tōn Ekklēsiōn kai techtheis kai trapheis, hōs eoike, Kyrillos ho tēs ᾿Alexanxreias, … prōton men eis to galēnon kai euseoes hymōn … hautou deiknys, Tou gar hymeterou kratous thespisantos peri pisteōs tēn exetasin genesthai, kai basanon achrithę̄ tēn meth᾽ homonoias kai eirēnēs phōn pantōn" ho Kyrillos epi tois ᾿Apolinariou dogmasin enkaloumenos, mallon de autos heauton elenxas, di’ hōn prōēn eis tēn basilida polin met᾽ idias hypographēs apesteile met᾽ anathematismōn, en hois ta tou dyssedous kai hairetichkou ᾿Apolinariou phronōn elēlenktai, kai oudenos toutōn phrontisas, hōs en aodasileutois kairois, chōrei pros pasan paranomian" kai deon logon dounai hyper hōn diephtharmenę̄ chrētai tę̄ peri ton Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon doxę̄, arpasas heautǭ tēn authentian, tēn mēte para tōn kanonōn autǭ dedomenēn, mēte apo tōn hymeterōn thespismatōn, hormą pros pan eidos ataxias kai paranomias. Epi toutois kinētheisa hē agia synodos, hē ou paradexamenē tas epi lymę̄ tēs pisteōs autou epinoias, touton men kathairei dia ta proeirēmena panta Memnona de hōs synergon autou kai synagōnistēn en apasi gegenēmenon, kai myrious thorydous kata tōn hagiōtatōn episkopōn, tōn synthesthai tę̄ hairetikę̄ echeinou kakodoxią mē anaschomenōn, egeiranta, kai tas ekklēsias kai panta topon euktērion chleisanta, hōs en Hellēnikois kai theomachois kairoi?" kai plēthos epichōrion tēs Ephesiōn epeisagagonta, hōs peri tou pantos hēmin einai kath᾽ hekastēn ton chindy… ou pros amynan blepousin, alla pros ta ortha dogmata tēs eusedeias. To gar toutous ekkopsai, ouden heteron estin, hē tēn orthodoxian stēsai. Exesti de hymōn tǭ kratei ex hautōn autou tōn kephalaiōn to dyssedes hautou phronēma epignōnai" teleutēsanta gar ton dyssedę̄ ᾿Apolinarion en tę̄ hairesei, hoionei ex hadou egeirōn, kai epistrateuōn tais Ekklēsiais kai tę̄ orthodoxǭ pistei elenchetai, kai anathematizōn en hois ektithetai, euangelistas homou kai apostolous, kai tous met᾽ ekeinous Ekklēsias progonous, hoi para tou hagion Pneumatos, all᾽ ouk apo logismōn oikeiōn hormōmenoi tēn eusedę̄ē pistin ekēryxan, kai katēngeilan to Euangelion, apenantias hois houtos kai phronei, kai didaskei, kai ex epitagmatos bouletai tēn heautou asedeian pantachou tēs oikoumenēs kratein. “Hoper ou pherontes, tę̄ stasei tę̄ deousę̄ echrēsametha, tę̄ te theią rhopę̄ kai tǭ tēs euseodeias hymōn tharrhountes skopǭ. Ismen gar hōs ouden protimēsete tēs hygious pisteōs, hē syntraphentes hymeis te, kai hoi trismacharioi hymōn progonoi, adiadocha ta tēs basileias pareilēphate skēptra, tous tois apostolikois dogmasin enantiou menous aei katalyontes " hōn estin ho proeirēmenos Kyrillos, hos hōsper akropolin chateilēphōs tēn EEpheson dia Memnonos tou synergou, dikaiōs met᾽ autou tēn kathairesin apēnenkato" pros gar tois xirēmenois, pasan ephodon, kai pasan ataxian etolmēsan kath᾽ hēmōn, hoi synelegēmen, kai poleōn amelēsantes, kai patridōn, kai heautōn, hōste to hymete- Kai esmen nyn tyrannidos paranalōma, ei mē heterōse hēmas synelthein, plēsion pou, entha dynēsometha apo te tōn Graphōn, kai tōn syngegram» menōn tois Patrasi biolōn, elenxai autous saphōs, ton te Kyrillon, kai tous hyper autou hypachthentas, autois sōtērias, ei metamelētheien, hypophainontes " hoi hōsper epi strateią bardarichę̄ hylas ataxias autǭ mechri tou parontos pareschon" hoi men chathę̄rēmenoi ontes ek pollou, kai hyp᾽ autou proslēphthentes " hoi de achoinōnēto! tois oikeiois mētropolitais, kai hyp᾽ autou eis koinōnian dechthentes " alloi diaphorois enklēmasin empeparmenoi, par᾽ hautou timēthentes. Kai tauta epoiei apo tou plēthous kyrōsai to hairetikon hautou peirōmenos phronēma, mē logisamenos, hōs en eusedeich ouk arithmos zēteitai, all᾽ orthotēs dogmatōn, kai hē tōn apostolikōn dogmatōn alētheia, kai andres en toutois eusedōs ex apostolikōn apodeixeōn kai martyriōn eidotes synistasthai, kai ouk ek thrasous kai authentias tyrannikēs. Hothen parakaloumen kai hiketeuomen dia tachous epamynai tę̄ heuysedeią polemoumenę̄ to hymeteron kratos, kai diorthōsin oxytatēn epitheinai tę̄ toutōn manią kai tyrannixi, hē hōsper tis laïlaps pros airechaion gar tēn hymeteran eusedeian, tēn tōn en tę̄ Rhōmaiōn archę̄ saleuomenas mē paridein Ekklēsias.

Letter of the same to the people of the holy church of God in Constantinople; the synod.

There is an unwritten law that shepherds take great care of their sheep, so that no thief … If those entrusted with the care of irrational sheep take such forethought for them that the blessed Jacob cried out to Laban, 'I was burned by the heat of the day and by the frost of the night, and sleep departed from my eyes, and I did not bring you what was torn by beasts', how much forethought must be taken for the rational sheep of our Saviour, which bear the divine … of Christ and have been marked with the light of the Lord's face? For this reason we thought it necessary to care for your souls beforehand by letter, so that you may not be led by idle rumours to lose heart and admit confusion into your minds. We came to the city of the Ephesians, the God who cares for the universe having moved the mind of our most pious and Christ-loving emperors to this, and we found the city full of every kind of uproar, the whole synod disturbed not a little, and the holy church like a storm at sea, since Cyril, formerly bishop of Alexandria, and Memnon of Ephesus had raised this harsh storm like hurricanes. For the Egyptian was afraid that … the chapters of his heretical evil opinion … condemn him as a heretic; and the other … what is talked of in the city about his other laziness … And the one gathered fifty Egyptian bishops, the other more than thirty Asians, and taking on some others, some by deceit and some by fear, they would not wait for the common council of the most holy bishops arriving from everywhere; despising the ordinances of the church and doing everything outrageously and lawlessly, they order everyone, as from a citadel, to be impious; and sending Egyptian sailors and clergy and Asian rustics to the bishops' houses, threatening fatal things and marking the houses on the outside so that those who were to be besieged would be known, they compelled them to agree to what they had lawlessly done. … having learned their disorder, we thought it absurd to leave men who had gone so far in wickedness in the divine and great priesthood. Therefore we were compelled to depose them as the leaders of the evils, and have made them strangers to the episcopate; and those who worked with them … repentance, but … opening to them the door of loving-kindness. For if they are willing, as quickly as possible, to anathematize the chapters sent out by Cyril, which are foreign to the apostolic and gospel teaching, and to return to the faith of the holy Fathers who assembled at Nicaea in Bithynia, and according to the letter of the … to examine the questions before us … and precisely, and to confirm the pious doctrine, we will at once receive them as our own members and restore the priestly thrones to them.

[Letter 157] Report of the synod to the victorious emperor, announcing a second time the deposition of Cyril and Memnon

Your piety, which shines out for the benefit of the world and of the churches of God, again commanded us to assemble in the city of the Ephesians, so as to procure gain and peace for the church, not to fill everything with confusion and disorder. And the very decrees of your power clearly and expressly show your pious and peaceful purpose for the churches of Christ. But Cyril of Alexandria, born and bred, it seems, for the ruin of the churches, … first … toward your calm and pious … showing his … For when your power had decreed that the examination concerning the faith should take place, and an exact testing with concord and peace … of all, Cyril, being charged with the doctrines of Apollinarius, or rather having convicted himself by what he recently sent to the imperial city with anathemas under his own signature, in which he has been shown to hold the views of the impious and heretical Apollinarius, and caring for none of this, proceeds to every lawlessness as though in times without an emperor; and whereas he ought to give account for the corrupt opinion he holds about our Lord Jesus Christ, he seizes for himself an authority given him neither by the canons nor by your decrees, and rushes into every kind of disorder and lawlessness. Moved by this, the holy synod, which did not accept his designs for the ruin of the faith, deposes him for all the reasons stated; and Memnon too, as having been his fellow worker and fellow combatant in everything, and having raised countless uproars against the most holy bishops who would not agree to his heretical evil opinion, and having shut the churches and every place of prayer, as in pagan and God-fighting times, and having brought in a local mob of the Ephesians, so that every day we were in danger of our lives … not looking to revenge but to the right doctrines of piety. For to cut these men off is nothing other than to establish orthodoxy. Your power can learn his impious mind from his very chapters; for he is convicted of raising, as it were from Hades, the impious Apollinarius, who died in his heresy, and making war on the churches and the orthodox faith; and of anathematizing, in what he sets forth, the evangelists and apostles together, and the forefathers of the church after them, who, moved by the Holy Spirit and not by their own reasonings, preached the pious faith and proclaimed the gospel contrary to what he thinks and teaches, and wants by command to make his own impiety prevail everywhere in the world. Not bearing this, we took the stand that was needed, trusting in the divine help and in the purpose of your piety. For we know that you will put nothing before the sound faith, nurtured in which you and your thrice-blessed forebears received the sceptre of the empire without a break, always overthrowing those who oppose the apostolic doctrines; and one of them is the aforesaid Cyril, who seized Ephesus like a citadel through his fellow worker Memnon, and has justly received deposition with him. For besides what has been said, they have dared every assault and every disorder against us who have assembled here, neglecting our cities and countries and ourselves so as to … your … And we are now the by-product of a tyranny, unless … us to assemble elsewhere, somewhere near, where we shall be able, from the Scriptures and from the books written by the Fathers, to refute clearly both Cyril and those led astray on his account, showing them … of salvation, if they repent; they who, as in a barbarian campaign, have supplied him until now with the materials of disorder: some long since deposed and received by him; some excommunicated by their own metropolitans and admitted by him to communion; others impaled on various charges and honoured by him. He did this trying to confirm his heretical mind by numbers, not reckoning that in piety it is not numbers that are sought but rightness of doctrines and the truth of the apostolic doctrines, and men who know how to stand together in these piously on the strength of apostolic proofs and testimonies, not from boldness and tyrannical authority. Therefore we beg and entreat your power to come quickly to the help of piety under attack, and to apply a very swift correction to the madness and tyranny of these men, which like a whirlwind … your piety … not to overlook the churches in the Roman empire as they are shaken.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Gen 31:39–40 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 4:6 (4:7 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · John 10:10 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Eastern bishops at Ephesus (431) reassure the people of Constantinople that Cyril and Memnon have been deposed for their violence and heresy, with the door left open to their supporters; then they report again to the emperor, accusing Cyril of reviving Apollinarius and asking to meet somewhere safe to refute him.

Migne Letter 156 (to the people of Constantinople), followed in the same passage by Letter 157 (a second report to the emperor), marked '[Letter 157]'; its heading is damaged in the scan and is completed from NPNF² 3. Both are synodal documents of the Eastern bishops at Ephesus (431).
Many words are lost in the OCR where Migne's Latin column interrupts the Greek; the gaps are marked '…' and nothing is supplied.
Jacob's words are Gen 31:40 (with 31:39); 'marked with the light of the Lord's face' recalls Ps 4:6 (LXX 4:7). The charge that Cyril's chapters revive Apollinarius, and the whole polemic against Cyril and Memnon, are translated as written.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside the heading of Letter 157; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside Ἐκ-κλησίας; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; some Greek is lost here; OCR debris: Migne's Latin column read as Greek letters; OCR debris; some Greek is lost here; column letter and OCR slip; stray letter and stop; stray marks): κηδεμονίαν. Ὁ πεπιστευμένοι → κηδεμονίαν πεπιστευμένοι; το- 80 ᾿ οἰν Δίθη αι! 6 πὶ ΟΠΊΠΐ ἰυ ταν ὶδ Ἀσ᾿ απ, 5810 8π| Δυϊοιὴ Ογ- Εἰν οἱ {16 ἢ 08 ἱρπα! οαν πλ5, 81 608 (οἱ π᾿ ἰδηία πη ργογοβϑὶ 6}}0 830] 6 αἴ πηι}5, ρο πη θη ἰδ ΠΟῚ ἀδηορδη δ; 40] → … ; ἐθελήσωσιν ῃ) ὡς → ἐθελήσωσιν ὡς; οἱ )αχία μία η 55: ΠΟΛ πὶ “86 λὺ → … ; οἰν δῖ 6 οἷ: Εοτὸν → τὸν; τὰπὰ φυϊάσηι ἴῃ ρ]δοϊάππι οἱ ρίυπὶ 1 3 Δἴ, νοδίγυμ Β τητα, → … ; ἀϊγὸἃρ- 1118 σαρ εἰ οἱ → … ; χίνδυη Ὁ» οὐ → χίνδυ… οὐ; πανταχοῦ Α «ἧς οἰκουμένης → πανταχοῦ τῆς οἰκουμένης; τῶν ἐν Περἢ. ἴῃ ἡ " τοὶ] οι 8. οἰν δι 5 ᾿οἰ ρμαῖγιϊθ, 86 ΠΟ ]5 ἰρϑἰ8, υἱ Αἱ οἱ 6 γΔΓΓ 8 ΟΥΙ Δ ΠῚ 008 ἱρ} οἰ 1}, οἱ Δ ᾳυοά ἰπ το] ξίοπα πο ποῦς αυξυῦ Ὁ, δ6ἀ ἀοδά ἐν τῇ → τῶν ἐν τῇ; Ἐκ- ἢ) ἘφοἸε5ἰ45, χυῶ ἴῃ κλησίας → Ἐκκλησίας.

Topics: Heresy, Christology, Church office

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 156 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/156). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/156

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).

Chapter 158

158PG 83

τὸν εὐσεδέστατον βασιλέα, ἥγπερ ἔδωκαν μετὰ τῆς ἀναφορᾶς τῆς προγεγραμμένης τῷ Ἠλπίσαμεν λύσιν ἔσεσθαι τοῦ Αἰγυπτιαχοῦ δωνος, τοῦ ταῖς ἁγίαις τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησίαις προσδαλόντος, τὰ τῆς εὑσεδείας τῆς ὑμετέρας δεχόμενοι γράμματα" ἐψεύσθημεν δὲ τῆς ἐλπίδος. Θρατύτεροι γὰρ οἱ ἄνδρες ἐξ ἀπονοίας ἐγένοντο" καὶ οὔτε τῆς ἐνδίκως καὶ ἐννόμως ἐπενεχθείσης αὐτοῖς ἐφρόντισαν καθαιρέσεως, οὔτε τῇ ἐπιτιμήσει τοῦ ὑμετέρου κράτους ἐγένοντο σωφρονέστεροι" ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς τῆς ὑμετέρας εὐσεδείας νόμους, καὶ τοὺς τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων κανόνας πατήσαντες, οἱ μὲν καθαιρεθέντες, οἱ δὲ ἀκοινώνητοι γενόμενοι, ἐν τοῖς εὐκτηρίοις ζουσιν οἴκοις, συνάξεις ἐπιτελοῦντες. Καὶ ἡμᾶς μὲν, ὡς καὶ ἤδη τὴν φιλόχριστον ὑμῶν ἐδιδάξαμεν κορυφὴν, προσεύξασθαι μόνον εἰς τὸ ἅγιον εὐσεθείας γέμοντα γράμματα τῆς ὑμετέρας ἡμερότττος, οὐ μόνον ἐκώλυσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ χατέλευσαν, μέχρι πολλοῦ κατεδίωξαν, ὡς φυγῇ καὶ δρόμῳ τὴν Αὑτοῖς δὲ πᾶν ὁτιοῦν ποιεῖν ἐξεῖναι νομίζουσιν" εἰς δὲ συνέδριον εἰσελθεῖν, καὶ βάσανον τῶν ζητουμένων ποιήσασθαι, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν αἱρετιχῶν τοῦ Κυρΐίλλου κεφαλαίων ἀπολογήσασθαι οὐκ ἠνέσχοντο, τοὺς ρεύοντες " μέγα δὲ φροναῦσιν ἐπὶ μόνῳ τῷ θράσει" καίτοι γε οὐ θράσους, ἀλλ᾽ ἡσυχίας, καὶ γνώσεως, καὶ τῆς τῶν δογμάτων ἐμπειρίας ἡ περὶ τῶν προ- Τούτου χάριν ἡναγκάσθημεν προπέμψασθαι τὸν μεγαλοπρεπέστατον κόμητα Εἰρηναῖον, καταλαθεῖν ὑμῶν τὴν εὐσέδειαν, καὶ τὰ τοῦ πράγματος διδάξαι" τά τε γὰρ γεγενημένα ἀχριδῶς ἐπίσταται, καὶ μεμάθηκε παρ᾽ ἡμῶν πολλοὺς θεραπείας τρόπους, δι᾽ ὧν δυνατὸν τὸ ἀτάραχον ταὶς ἁγίαις τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησίαις παρασχεθῆναι οὗς ἱκετεύομεν Ὁ ἀνεξικάκως τὴν ὑμετέραν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ μαθεῖν ἣμε-

… ρότητα, καὶ τὸ δοκοῦν τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ εὐσεύείᾳ θᾶττον κελεῦσαι γενέσθαι, ἵνα μὴ εἰς οὐδὲν δέον ἐνταῦθα

ton eusedestaton basilea, hēgper edōkan meta tēs anaphoras tēs progegrammenēs tǭ Ēlpisamen lysin esesthai tou Aigyptiachou dōnos, tou tais hagiais tou Theou Ekklēsiais prosdalontos, ta tēs heusedeias tēs hymeteras dechomenoi grammata" epseusthēmen de tēs elpidos. Thratyteroi gar hoi andres ex aponoias egenonto" kai oute tēs endikōs kai ennomōs epenechtheisēs autois ephrontisan kathaireseōs, oute tę̄ epitimēsei tou hymeterou kratous egenonto sōphronesteroi" alla kai tous tēs hymeteras eusedeias nomous, kai tous tōn hagiōn Paterōn kanonas patēsantes, hoi men kathairethentes, hoi de akoinōnētoi genomenoi, en tois euktēriois zousin oikois, synaxeis epitelountes. Kai hēmas men, hōs kai ēdē tēn philochriston hymōn edidaxamen koryphēn, proseuxasthai monon eis to hagion eusetheias gemonta grammata tēs hymeteras hēmerotttos, ou monon ekōlysan, alla kai chateleusan, mechri pollou katediōxan, hōs phygę̄ kai dromǭ tēn Hautois de pan hotioun poiein exeinai nomizousin" eis de synedrion eiselthein, kai basanon tōn zētoumenōn poiēsasthai, kai hyper tōn hairetichōn tou Kyrïillou kephalaiōn apologēsasthai ouk ēneschonto, tous reuontes " mega de phronausin epi monǭ tǭ thrasei" kaitoi ge ou thrasous, all᾽ hēsychias, kai gnōseōs, kai tēs tōn dogmatōn empeirias hē peri tōn pro- Toutou charin hēnankasthēmen propempsasthai ton megaloprepestaton komēta Eirēnaion, katalathein hymōn tēn eusedeian, kai ta tou pragmatos didaxai" ta te gar gegenēmena achridōs epistatai, kai memathēke par᾽ hēmōn pollous therapeias tropous, di᾽ hōn dynaton to atarachon tais hagiais tou Theou Ekklēsiais paraschethēnai hous hiketeuomen Ho anexikakōs tēn hymeteran par᾽ autou mathein hēme-

… rotēta, kai to dokoun tę̄ hymeterą euseueią thatton keleusai genesthai, hina mē eis ouden deon entautha

Report of the Easterns to the most pious emperor, which they gave together with the preceding report to the …

We hoped, on receiving your piety's letters, that there would be an end to the Egyptian … that had struck the holy churches of God; but we were cheated of our hope. For the men have grown bolder out of desperation. They have neither taken any heed of the deposition justly and lawfully brought upon them, nor become more sober through the rebuke of your power; but, trampling on the laws of your piety and on the canons of the holy Fathers, some of them deposed and some excommunicated, they … in the houses of prayer, holding assemblies. And as for us, as we have already informed your Christ-loving head, they not only prevented us from merely praying in the holy … letters of your gentleness full of piety, but also stoned us and pursued us a long way, so that by flight and running … They think they may do anything whatever; but to come into council, examine the questions, and defend the heretical chapters of Cyril, they would not endure, … and they pride themselves on their boldness alone; and yet the … about the … needs not boldness but quiet and knowledge and experience in doctrines. For this reason we were compelled to send ahead the most magnificent count Irenaeus, to reach your piety and inform you of the matter; for he knows exactly what happened, and has learned from us many ways of healing, by which calm can be given to the holy churches of God; and we beg your … to learn them patiently from him …

[End of Letter 158] … gentleness, and to order quickly what seems good to your piety, so that we may not … here to no purpose …

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: The Eastern bishops tell the emperor that the deposed and excommunicated bishops at Ephesus have grown bolder, have stoned them and refused to debate Cyril's chapters, and that they are sending Count Irenaeus to explain.

Migne Letter 158 (staged as 154), sent with the previous report by Count Irenaeus (named in the text; the heading breaks off before his name). Its end is in the next passage.
Several words are lost in the OCR (after 'the Egyptian', 'they …', 'in the holy' — NPNF² 3: the church of the Apostles — 'by flight and running', 'would not endure', and 'the … about the …'). Marked '…'.
This passage holds only the last words of Migne Letter 158 (begun in the previous passage); its scan heading is Migne's Latin heading of Letter 159 ('Letter of the same to the prefect and the master'), read as Greek letters. Mapped to Letter 158. The rest is lost.
A line of Migne's apparatus (variant readings with marginal sigla) read into the text has been removed by a logged correction.
The last words of this letter stand on a separate page of the scan and are joined here.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Migne's apparatus and Latin column read as Greek letters; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column): ἐφρόντισαν ς γα π 65 ἰϊα υἱ Ογἰἃεἴ, αι τα θη), αἱ Α καθαιρέσεως → ἐφρόντισαν καθαιρέσεως; δ) 691: ποὺ ἂυρο- Μἰο Ὁ συνελθεῖν Μ. ἴῃ προτρέψασθαι Μ. ἰπ ᾷ Τ ρασχεῖν Μ. ἴῃ πιλγΡ πα. → … .

Topics: Heresy

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 158 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/158). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/158

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-epistulae-158) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).

Chapter 159

159PG 83

Εἰς ἔσχατον κακὸν, τὸ δὴ λεγόμενον, ἐληλάχαμεν, καὶ δεινοῖς προσπαλαίομεν ἀνηκέστοις, καὶ καθ᾽ ἑκάστην, ὡς εἰπεῖν, τὴν ἡμέραν τὸν θάνατον ἡμῶν πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν βλέπομεν. Πᾶσαν γὰρ βαρθαριχὴν ὑπερθαίνει μανίαν τὰ ὑπὸ Κυρίλλον καὶ Μέμνονος, καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτοῖς, καθ᾽ ἡμῶν τολμώμεγα, καὶ οὐδὲν εἶδος αὐτοῖς παραλέλειπται τυραννίδος. Ἔφοδοι μὲν γὰρ συνεχεῖς, ὡς ἐν πολέμῳ, τολμῶνται, αἱ οἰκίαι ἡμῶν ἤδη δὶς ἐπεγράφησαν, ὥστε δήλας εἶναι καὶ ἐπισήμους τοῖς ἐπιέναι μέλλουσι, Πᾶς οἶκος ἡ αἷν εὐχτήριος ἀποκέκλεισται" νόσῳ διαφθειρόμενοι, καὶ σμικροῶ ἀέρος ἀπολαῦσαι ποθοῦντες, προκύπτειν οὐ θαῤῥοῦμεν, ὡς βαρδάρους τοὺς ὁμοφύλους φοθούμενοι, Οἱ τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων κανόνες πεπάτηνται" οἱ μῶσι, τὰ δυσσεθῇ αὑτῶν ἐκχέοντες τῷ λαῷ Θεοῦ διδάγματα " ἡμεῖς τε καθειργυένοι διατελοῦμεν, καὶ ἢ ἔσχατα χκαχῶν … Δεόμεθα τοίνυν καὶ ἐχετεύομεν τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοπρέπειαν, μὴ παριδεῖν ἡμᾶς ἐν μέσῳ τῶν τοιούτων ἀπειλημμένους κακῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξαρπάσαι ἡμᾶς ὡς τάχιστα τοῦ ὑπόπτου θανάτου, καὶ παρασχευάσα: τὴν βασιλίδα πόλιν χκαταλαθεῖν, καὶ δοῦναι λόγον ἡμᾶς ὑπὲρ τῆς πίστεως, καὶ ἐξελέγξαι τῶν προειρημένων ἀνδρῶν τὴν τε αἱρετικὴν κακοδοξίαν, καὶ τὴν ὑπερθάλλουσαν παρανομίαν" εἰ γὰρ μὴ τοῦτο γένοιτο, παντελῶς ἀπολούμεθα, καὶ παρανάλωμα τῆς ἐχείνων μανίας ἐσόμεθα. Πάλιν τοίνυν δεόμεθα, καὶ ἐνορχοῦμεν πρὸς παίδων, πρὸς τῶν φιλτάτων, πρὸς τῆς δικαίας τοῦ Θεοῦ χρίσεως, μὴ περιοφθῆναι παρὰ τῆς ὑμετέρας μεγαλοπρεπείας, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς τάχιστα ἐντεῦθεν ἀπαλλαγῆναι, καὶ ἐλεύθερον ἀέρα θεάσασθαι.

Eis eschaton kakon, to dē legomenon, elēlachamen, kai deinois prospalaiomen anēkestois, kai kath᾽ hekastēn, hōs eipein, tēn hēmeran ton thanaton hēmōn pro ophthalmōn blepomen. Pasan gar bartharichēn hyperthainei manian ta hypo Kyrillon kai Memnonos, kai tōn syn autois, kath᾽ hēmōn tolmōmega, kai ouden eidos autois paraleleiptai tyrannidos. Ephodoi men gar synecheis, hōs en polemǭ, tolmōntai, hai oikiai hēmōn ēdē dis epegraphēsan, hōste dēlas einai kai episēmous tois epienai mellousi, Pas oikos hē hain euchtērios apokekleistai" nosǭ diaphtheiromenoi, kai smikroō aeros apolausai pothountes, prokyptein ou tharrhoumen, hōs bardarous tous homophylous phothoumenoi, Hoi tōn hagiōn Paterōn kanones pepatēntai" hoi mōsi, ta dyssethę̄ hautōn ekcheontes tǭ laǭ Theou didagmata " hēmeis te katheirgyenoi diateloumen, kai ē eschata chkachōn … Deometha toinyn kai echeteuomen tēn hymeteran megaloprepeian, mē paridein hēmas en mesǭ tōn toioutōn apeilēmmenous kakōn, all᾽ exarpasai hēmas hōs tachista tou hypoptou thanatou, kai parascheuasa: tēn basilida polin chkatalathein, kai dounai logon hēmas hyper tēs pisteōs, kai exelenxai tōn proeirēmenōn andrōn tēn te hairetikēn kakodoxian, kai tēn hyperthallousan paranomian" ei gar mē touto genoito, pantelōs apoloumetha, kai paranalōma tēs echeinōn manias esometha. Palin toinyn deometha, kai enorchoumen pros paidōn, pros tōn philtatōn, pros tēs dikaias tou Theou chriseōs, mē periophthēnai para tēs hymeteras megaloprepeias, all᾽ hōs tachista enteuthen apallagēnai, kai eleutheron aera theasasthai.

Letter of the same to the prefect, and to the master likewise.

We have come to the last evil, as the saying goes, and are wrestling with terrible and incurable things, and every day, so to speak, we see our death before our eyes. For what Cyril and Memnon and those with them dare against us surpasses all barbarian madness, and they have left out no form of tyranny. Continual assaults are dared, as in war; our houses have already twice been marked, so as to be plain and conspicuous to those who are going to attack them. Every house of prayer has been shut …; wasting with sickness, and longing to enjoy a little air, we do not dare to peep out, fearing our own countrymen as barbarians. The canons of the holy Fathers have been trampled; … pouring out their impious teachings on the people of God; and we remain shut in, and … the extremes of evils. We beg and entreat your magnificence, then, not to overlook us, caught as we are in the midst of such evils, but to snatch us as quickly as possible from the death that threatens us, and to arrange for us to reach the imperial city, give account of the faith, and expose both the heretical evil opinion and the surpassing lawlessness of the aforesaid men. For if this does not happen, we shall perish utterly and become a by-product of their madness. Again, then, we beg and adjure you, by your children, by those dearest to you, by the just judgment of God, that we may not be overlooked by your magnificence, but be released from here as quickly as possible and see free air.

Notes and citation

Summary: The Eastern bishops beg the prefect and the master of offices to rescue them from the violence of Cyril and Memnon at Ephesus and let them come to Constantinople to give account of the faith.

Migne Letter 159, from the Eastern bishops at Ephesus (431).
Words are lost in the OCR after 'Every house of prayer has been shut', after 'have been trampled' (NPNF² 3: the deposed perform their offices), and after 'we remain shut in, and'. Marked '…'.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Migne's apparatus; some Greek is lost here; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside μεγα-λοπρέπειαν; end of the heading read into the text; OCR slip for Εἰς): χον, καὶ τὸν μάγιστρον ὁμοίως. κὶς → Εἰς; Μ. ἴῃ Δεόμεθα → … Δεόμεθα; μεγα. ἃ ΟΡΒοογδιη8 ργοίη δ λοπρέπειαν → μεγαλοπρέπειαν.

Topics: Persecution

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 159 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/159). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/159

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).

Chapter 160

160PG 83

Οὐδὲν ἀπονοίας ἐν πλημμελήμασι χαλεπώτερον" αὕτη γὰρ ἐπὶ πάντα ἐστὶ τὰ ἄτοπα ἡγεμών. Ὑπὸ ταύτης οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτοῖς στρατηγούμενοι τῶν τε ἐκκλησιαστικῶν καταφρονοῦσι θεσμῶν, καὶ τὰ εὐσεδῇ τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων ἡμῶν βασιλέων πατοῦσι θεσπίσματα. Οὔτε γὰρ τὰ πρῶτα, οὔτε τὰ δεύτερα, οὔτε τὰ τρίτα αὐτοὺς σωφρονεῖν ἐδίδαξαν γράμματα. Οὔτε ἡ ἐννόμως αὐτοῖς ὑφ' ἡμῶν ἐπενεχθεῖσα καθαίρεσις ἔσδεσεν αὐτῶν τὴν θρασύτητα, ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἀθροίζονται μὲν εἰς τοὺς εὐκτηρίους οἴκους παρανόμως, ἐπιτελοῦσι δὲ συνάξεις ἀθέσμους, καί τοι γε τῶν λαῶν ταύταις οὗ παραθαχόντων. Παντί τε θείῳ οἴκῳ φρουροὺς ἐπιστήσαντες, οὐδένα πλὴν αὐτῶν εἰσιέναι συγχωροῦσι. Καὶ ταῦτα ἤδη διὰ γραμ- μάτων ἑτέρων τὴν ὑμετέραν ἐδιδάξαμεν πειαν, ὅπως ἐχινδυνεύσαμεν προσεύξασθαι βουληθέντες εἰς τὸ ἅγιον ᾿Αποστόλιον, μετὰ τὸ δέξασθαι τὰ διὰ τοῦ θαυμασιωτάτου Παλλαδίου τοῦ μαγιστριανοῦ γράμματα τῶν εὐσεδεστάτων ἡμῶν καὶ φιλοχρίστων βασιλέων. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἐχωλύθημεν ξασθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ καταλευσθέντες μέχρι πολλοῦ χατμοι, καὶ ἐν ἀρετῇ διαλάμποντες πάσῃ, ὡς τὴν ὑμεπέραν εὔκλειαν ἐν τοῖς ἀπάντων περιφέρεσθαι στόμασι, καὶ τῆς ἁγίας Ἐκκλησίας ἐκθύμως ὑπερμαχεῖτε, πᾶταν ποιούμενοι προμήθειαν, ὥστε διηνεκῶς αὑτὴν ἐξ οὐρίων φέρεσθαι, παρακαλοῦμεν ὑμῶν τὸ μέγεθος, καὶ τὰ ἡμέτερα γράμματα ὑπαναγνῶναι τῷ εὐσεδεστάτῳ καὶ φιλοχρίστῳ ἡμῶν βασιλεῖ, καὶ πᾶσαν ὑπενεγκεῖν σπονδὴν, ὡς τὴν μὲν παροῦσαν ᾿ παυθῆναι σύγχυσιν, ἀταράχως δὲ καὶ θορύθδου παντὸς χωρὶς τὸ κοινὸν γενέσθαι συνέδριον, καὶ τοῖς τῶν συστῆναι. '

Ouden aponoias en plēmmelēmasi chalepōteron" hautē gar epi panta esti ta atopa hēgemōn. Hypo tautēs hoi Aigyptioi kai hoi syn autois stratēgoumenoi tōn te ekklēsiastikōn kataphronousi thesmōn, kai ta eusedę̄ tōn theophilestatōn hēmōn basileōn patousi thespismata. Oute gar ta prōta, oute ta deutera, oute ta trita autous sōphronein edidaxan grammata. Oute hē ennomōs autois hyph' hēmōn epenechtheisa kathairesis esdesen autōn tēn thrasytēta, ᾿All᾽ athroizontai men eis tous euktērious oikous paranomōs, epitelousi de synaxeis athesmous, kai toi ge tōn laōn tautais hou parathachontōn. Panti te theiǭ oikǭ phrourous epistēsantes, oudena plēn autōn eisienai synchōrousi. Kai tauta ēdē dia gram- matōn heterōn tēn hymeteran edidaxamen peian, hopōs echindyneusamen proseuxasthai boulēthentes eis to hagion ᾿Apostolion, meta to dexasthai ta dia tou thaumasiōtatou Palladiou tou magistrianou grammata tōn eusedestatōn hēmōn kai philochristōn basileōn. Ou gar monon echōlythēmen xasthai, alla kai kataleusthentes mechri pollou chatmoi, kai en aretę̄ dialampontes pasę̄, hōs tēn hymeperan eukleian en tois apantōn peripheresthai stomasi, kai tēs hagias Ekklēsias ekthymōs hypermacheite, patan poioumenoi promētheian, hōste diēnekōs hautēn ex ouriōn pheresthai, parakaloumen hymōn to megethos, kai ta hēmetera grammata hypanagnōnai tǭ eusedestatǭ kai philochristǭ hēmōn basilei, kai pasan hypenenkein spondēn, hōs tēn men parousan ᾿ pauthēnai synchysin, atarachōs de kai thorythdou pantos chōris to koinon genesthai synedrion, kai tois tōn systēnai. '

Letter of the same to the praepositus, and to the scholasticus likewise.

Nothing among offences is harsher than desperation; for it is the leader to every absurdity. Under its command the Egyptians and those with them despise the ordinances of the church and trample on the pious decrees of our most God-beloved emperors. Neither the first, nor the second, nor the third letter taught them to be sober; nor did the deposition lawfully brought upon them by us quench their boldness. They assemble unlawfully in the houses of prayer and hold lawless assemblies, though the people do not attend them; and, setting guards at every divine house, they let no one in but themselves. We have already told your … this in other letters: how we were in danger when we wished to pray in the holy church of the Apostles, after receiving the letters of our most pious and Christ-loving emperors through the most admirable Palladius, the magistrianus. For not only were we prevented from praying, but we were also stoned and … a long way … and shine in every virtue, so that your good fame is carried on everyone's lips, and you fight wholeheartedly for the holy church, taking every care that she may always be carried along by fair winds; we beg your greatness to read our letter to our most pious and Christ-loving emperor, and to make every effort that the present confusion may cease, and that the common council may take place without disturbance and without any uproar, and … be established.

Notes and citation

Summary: The Eastern bishops ask the praepositus and the scholasticus to read their letter to the emperor, since Cyril's party, though deposed, holds the churches by force and has stoned them.

Migne Letter 160, from the Eastern bishops at Ephesus (431). The praepositus was the chamberlain of the palace; the scholasticus, a legal official.
Words are lost in the OCR after 'your' (a title), after 'stoned and' (with the opening of the praise of the addressees), and at the end. Marked '…'.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR debris: Migne's Latin column read as Greek letters; end of the heading read into the text; stray marks): σιτον, καὶ τὸν σχοκλαστικὸν ὁμοίως. Οὐδὲν → Οὐδὲν; δᾶ πα ΐοἷα [πιο ὺ ἀδ]]οία ηἶ }} 68. τηὶδ 688 118 ΓΟ Ι,. νόσ οὐδ) ἰαρ ἀϊ 5 ἱπιροί!, ὅυν (ἢ δ → ; ὑμῶν τὸ ἢ) μέγεθος → ὑμῶν τὸ μέγεθος; παυθῆναι ([ σύγχυσιν → παυθῆναι σύγχυσιν.

Topics: Persecution

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 160 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/160). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/160

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-epistulae-160) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).